Ghana is exploring a new financing mechanism that could provide long-term funding for the restoration and protection of its coastal and marine ecosystems, with stakeholders beginning discussions on a Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) framework.
The proposed framework is expected to create a sustainable source of financing for conserving mangroves, estuaries, wetlands and other critical coastal habitats that support fisheries, biodiversity and climate resilience.
The discussions were held during a stakeholder consultation organised by the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC) and the Fisheries Commission under the MarEcoPlan Project, which is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and being implemented in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Togo.
Speaking at the meeting, Professor Pierre Failler, an international consultant supporting the Payment for Ecosystem Services component of the project, said the initiative was designed to establish a long-term financing system for the sustainable management of ecosystems that underpin fisheries and other economic activities.
He explained that under the PES model, individuals, communities or institutions that benefit from healthy ecosystems would contribute financially to support those responsible for protecting, restoring or sustainably managing those natural resources.
According to Prof. Failler, coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, estuaries and wetlands provide essential ecological and economic services, including fish breeding habitats, shoreline protection, carbon storage and climate regulation.
He said investing in their conservation was not only environmentally important but also economically beneficial because healthy ecosystems support fisheries productivity and coastal livelihoods.
As part of the proposed framework, Ghana intends to identify fisheries that depend directly and indirectly on coastal ecosystems, map critical habitats, assess their ecological condition and measure the benefits of restoration and conservation activities.
The initiative will also assess whether stakeholders in the fisheries sector are willing to contribute financially towards ecosystem restoration and determine the most appropriate funding mechanisms for a Blue Payment for Ecosystem Services programme.
Prof. Failler pointed to international experience, citing Mauritania’s National Park of Banc d’Arguin as a successful example of a marine payment for ecosystem services scheme.
He noted that the programme, supported through the European Union fishing agreement, continues to generate about one million euros annually for conservation and fisheries management.
Participants at the consultation said adopting a similar financing mechanism could help Ghana restore degraded coastal ecosystems, improve fish stocks, strengthen biodiversity conservation and support sustainable livelihoods in fishing communities.
The consultation forms part of broader efforts to integrate innovative financing mechanisms into marine spatial planning and improve the long-term management of Ghana’s coastal and marine resources.
Stakeholders believe that a well-designed PES framework could reduce dependence on short-term donor funding while creating a sustainable financial foundation for the conservation of ecosystems that are vital to Ghana’s fisheries sector and coastal economy.
